The summer transfer window will be crucial for those at Luton Town.
Following their relegation to the Championship after only one season in the Premier League, the Hatters will be seeking to put themselves in a position to recover fast this season.
The club’s first move was to sign a new long-term contract with manager Rob Edwards, which would keep him at Kenilworth Road until the end of the 2027/28 season.
However, there will be work to do with the playing team before the window closes at the end of August.
Indeed, Luton Town is well on their way to getting inbound business done, after confirming their first signing of the Summer arrived last week.
Shandon Baptiste signed for Luton Town.
On Saturday, it was announced that Shandon Baptiste had signed a permanent contract with the Hatters.
The center midfielder joined the club on a free transfer when his contract with Brentford expired.
Baptiste joined the Bees in the January 2020 transfer window, coming from Oxford United.
Unfortunately, Baptiste missed the majority of Brentford’s Championship promotion-winning season in 2020/21 due to injury.
Despite ongoing fitness difficulties, the 26-year-old has made 55 Premier League appearances for Thomas Frank’s team in the last three seasons.
That experience will undoubtedly be valuable for Luton as they attempt to rebound at the first opportunity in the upcoming season.
Despite this, others argue that this should not be the final deal of its kind that the Hatters pursue before the transfer season closes.
Rob Edwards needs additional midfield options.
While Luton have now signed one central midfielder in Baptiste, they still appear to be short on options in that position following many departures this summer.
Ross Barkley, a key player for the Hatters last season, has joined Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Luke Berry left after his contract expired, and he has since reunited with Nathan Jones at Charlton Athletic in League One.
Albert Sambi Lokonga has returned to Arsenal after his loan term with the Hatters expired at the end of the season.
As a result, even with the addition of Baptiste, Luton appear to be short on options in the heart of the park compared to last season.
As a result, it would make sense for the Hatters to try to bring in more options in that position to meet the demands of a Championship promotion drive.
That would relieve some of the pressure on those with fewer alternatives in that position to handle the greater effort during such an important season.
Indeed, given Baptiste’s previous injury history, there is no certainty that he will be available throughout the season.
With that in mind, Luton Town may need to consider adding more central midfield alternatives this summer, and if they can do so on a free transfer, that would be a bonus.
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